Agitator



J. ROCKE Juny 11, 1929.

AGITATOR Filed Feb. 7, 1927 #EVEN-r D R. @may Aff/4( I GENESIS Patented June 1l, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOI-IN ROCKE, OEBLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

AGITATOR.

Application filed February 7, 1927. Serial No. 166,357.

' tively spaced members of the blade.

The invention includes the underneath fashioning of the agitator bottom to provide circulatingr space.

rl`he invention includes agitator members on 'the lower face of the blade body for service in promoting effective refuse clearance in draining the tub.

The invention includes the use of a phenolic condensation substance or the like as bearings connected with or related to the complete agitator formed of a similar substance or any serviceable material, from which an agitator-may be formed, in conjunction with which `such product will co.-` operate for` the purpose of providing a dur able bearing that will withstandall heat conditions attendant upon the use ofthe agitator and a bearing that will serve continuously without lubrication.

The invention includes a specially designed closure and seal member integrated to constitute a closure for an opening in the bottom of the tub and-including a hollow sleeve extension therefrom of height suficient to normally rise to a point above the normal water line of the tub, the bottom part of said closure member being fashioned on a downward incline from the sleeve portion to its juncture with the tub bottom and with its outer ends offset downwardly with respect to the bottom of the tub to form a catchway forsediment, there being provided, in conjunctionl with said catchway, a suitable drain opening.

Referring to the drawings- Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a washing machine agitator, a fragmentary section of a tub, a closure and sleeve member related to the tub, driving means and bea-rings; l.

Eig. 2 is a bottom view of the agitator;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section view of the agitator on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

ln the drawings, 10 is the bottom of the tub; 11 refers generally to a closure and sleeve member, 12 being the closure portion which is connected with the tub by means of bolts 13. Y14 is a sleeve portion of the general structure indicated as 11. The post member is offset at 15 to form a bearing support for the agitator. 16 is a drive shaft eX- tending upwardly through sleeve member 14, there being provided journals 17 and 18 intervening between said shaft and sleeve member, said `journals being of a substance of phenolic condensation nature or the like. 19 is an angularly shaped clutch member keyed to the upper end of shaft 16,' and 20 is a gear member for driving the shaft.

The agitator is preferably formed from a phenolic condensation or like substance. However, it may be formed from any material.

The agitator-comprises disk 21 having lateral expansion to comprehend extension over a considerable portion of the bottomiof the tub, and to lie closely adjacent thereto, said agitator including a vertically extending hollow portion 22 emerging from the central portion thereof and extending upwardly to a point above the normal water line of the tub, said upstanding portion being adapted to be housed over sleeve member 14 and the upper portion thereof being angularly fashioned to seat in conjunction with shaft clutch port-ion 19 to establish driving'connection for the agitator.` A. bearing 23, of phenolic condensation substance, is connected with the upstanding portion at a point below the clutch engagement of the latter with the drive shaft. A removable cap, as 24, may be disposed in conjunction with the extreme upper end of the agitator vertical extension member.

The lower, or disk fashioned, portion of the agitator is preferably fashioned on the downwardly curved lines, -as disclosed, to provide clearance space therebeneath. However, it may be fashioned on straight lines, if desired.4

The agitator blades are generallyA referred to as 25, but actually comprise side wall sections 26 and 27, and top closure portion 28. These wings or vanes are shown w1th theirltop edges slightly upwardly or outwardlyI inclined, but may be formed on the A straight` lines of a plane as the best results have .been demonstrated to be obtained by eliminating any and all hump or .lobe formations. I

The walls of the agitator blades 25 are relatively spaced, mainly for the purpose of giving wide upper faces to avoid the difficulty of tearing clothing that attends nar'- row thin blades, as well as to promote lightness of agitator,Y and are preferably completely closed at theirtop and end portions, as shown. An additionalv feature of advantage in forming the blades from relatively spaced members is that with the bottom portion closed, added clearance space beneath the agitator is provided and measurably serves to effect agitation beneath the agitator, mainly serviceable to prevent accumulation of sediment during the washing operation and to assist, when the water is being drained from the tub and the agitator being operated, to stir up sediment collections, to aid in complete sediment clearance without the necessity of removing the agitator and wiping the tub out, as is the usual course. ,Also, agitators 29 are provided on the bottom portion of the disk, principally in aid of promoting agitation during the draining operation.

The portions 12 of the bottom closure are preferably offset with respect to the bottom of the tub to form a collecting cha'nnel for refuse.

The invention herein covers a more comprehensive conception than here disclosed and described, but there is here shown one form of embodiment of the individual and associated devices, and the description and disclosure have not been extended beyond the limits of what I consider would enable a mechanic skilled in the art to apply the inventive thoughts and conceptions.

lWhatnI claim is:

1. In combination, a tub, an agitator driving member, an agitator having an expanded bottom portion and upstanding post members therefrom, the said bottom portion being downwardly and outwardly curved to form a sediment clearance space interposed between said agitator base and the bottom of the tub, and agitator members in association with the lower face of said agitator base member for stirring service in connection with draining the tub.

2. In comb-ination, a tub provided with a substantially fiat bottom portion, an agitator adjacent the bottom of the tub having anapproximately bell shaped underside, the peripheral edge portion thereof disposed in approximate contact with the bottom of the tub, one or more agitator members radially arranged upon the upper face of the agitator, the top and side portions of said members being completely. closed, and pocket formations in the said bell shaped under side of the agitator, whereby'sediment receptive space is provided lbeneaththe agitator and stirring means is afforded to maintain sediment accumulations in diffusion with the water content of the tub in the space below the agitator.

, 3. In a washing machine, an agitator therefor comprising an upstanding central portion, a lateral disk-like expanded portion divergent from the'base of said upstanding portion, and one or more agitator members upstanding from the upper face of the expanded portion of said agitator, the top and side portions of said agitator members being closed and the bottom portions being longitudinally channeled to provide' an open way beneath the expanded portion of the agitator.

a. In a washing machine, an agitator therefor comprising an upstanding central portion, a lateral disk-like expanded portion divergent fro-m the base of said upstanding portion, and one or more agitator members upstanding from the upper face of the expanded portion of said agitator formed from relatively narrow, spaced, substantially parallel vertical -wall members with a complete closure eo-extensive with the face o-f the top and end portion thereof, the space between said agitator member or members being opento points beneath the expanded portion of the agitator.

5. An agitator for washing machines comprising 'an upstanding central portion, a laterally expanded disk-like portion merging from the base portion of the central upkstandinglportion and one or more agitator members thereon formed by relatively spaced members upstanding from the agitator expanded portion, a depression in the lower side of said expanded disk portion, and auxiliary agitating members formed on said central portion and projecting into said depression. Y

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature. p

JOI-IN ROCKE. 

